AT Newburgh we have lately introduced a charging system, partly my own, but based on the Evansville and Po'keepsie method. Each book is represented by a green card, 3×4 in., bearing on the face its number and title, and 48 blank spaces. These bookcards are kept in numerical order in a partitioned card-box on the delivery table. A tinted card of the same size is given to each borrower, and has on its face his register number, name and residence, and 48 blank spaces, and printed instructions on its back. The numbers on both cards are printed in large, heavy-faced figures. By numerical and alphabetical registers, the borrower's name can be found by his number-card, or the number by his name.

The borrower, having selected a book, simply presents his card to the desk attendant, who enters on it, with pen and ink, the number of the book taken, and stamps the date, to guard against errors or alterations. This card is retained by the borrower, and presented whenever he returns or borrows a book. The book-card is taken from its box, the number of the borrower's card entered upon it, and placed under its proper date in the borrower's card-box, also kept on the table. When the book is returned, the charge on the borrower's card is canceled. with a conductor's punch, and the bookcard taken from the dated box and placed in its numerical order in the box containing the cards of all books on the shelves.

The date is affixed only to the borrower's card. It can be used for 24 charges, and the book-card for 48. When either of these cards are full, new ones are substituted, bearing the same numbers, and the old ones are preserved for future reference.

The delivery table is about 6 ft. long, and has convenient drawers, book-racks and pigeon holes. The top is protected by an iron net-work enclosure, 30 in. high, with two 9x12 in. openings in front and one on each side, for the passage of books and cards.

The desk is in the center of this table. The borrower's card-boxes, in two parts, are on the two ends. The card-box for books on the shelves is placed at the right, back of the right-hand half of the borrower's box. On the left, opposite, is a small desk for the assistant. Each half of the borrower's box is composed of 7 tiers of 10 apartments each. Tin partitions, running lengthwise of the table, divide the 14 tiers into 140 apartments. Each tier of 10 apartments has at the top the date of the day when it was filled, like Mr. Jackson's check-box (see p. 231, v. 3). This differs from that in having only 10 apartments, and in the tiers not being movable.

For every book taken Feb. 7, its card would be placed in the tier dated 7. In which of the 10 apartments would be determined by the last figure of its number,-No. 1, 11, 21, etc., in the upper subdivision; No. 2, 12, 22, etc., in the second; No. 10, 20, 30, etc., being in the lower or tenth subdivision. Thus, the date on the borrower's card tells in what tier, and the last figure of the number in what apartment of the tier to look for the book-card. We allow books to be kept out 14 days. A book taken out Feb. 7 would be due Feb. 21, and if not returned that day is subject to a fine.

The library being closed two Sundays in every 14 days, the 14 apartments cover 16

days. Experience will teach the necessity of having one empty apartment all the time, dividing the date you are using from the 14th date before.

On Feb. 22, the number on the tier dated 7 is changed to 22, and if any cards are remaining in this apartment, they must be removed, and we immediately discover what books are overdue. Cards representing books overdue, at the bindery, worn out, or lost, are placed in pigeon holes, properly labeled, so that we have always right before us an account of every book belonging to the library. We have about 12,000 v. Our force consists of a librarian and two assistants. We have delivered and charged 200 books in an hour. The cards do not cost half as much as the ledger and index formerly in use here. It is but a moment's work to ascertain: 1. Where every book is. 2. What ones are overdue, and who has them. 3. How many are delivered per day or hour. 4. How often any one book is taken out. 5. What ones are most popular with our readers. 6. Whether any given book is on the shelf or not. The book-cards give all this information. There is no danger of any person taking out more books than he is entitled to; no dispute about the fact of his having a book out; or when it was taken; or the justice of a fine, the borrower's card settles these questions at a glance.

C. ESTABROOK.

While the valuable series of papers on "Charging Systems," in the JOURNAL, V. 3, give a pretty exhaustive account and criticism of the various methods of charging loans, in use or proposed, it appears to me sufficient justice has not been done to a scheme in actual use, which, in my opinion, combines in a greater degree than any other many valuable features. The scheme in question is briefly described on p. 254-5, v. 1, of the JOURNAL.

A perfect system should give the following information:

1st. In regard to the Books it should show (a.) Where every book is that is absent from its shelf. (b.) How often every book has been issued. (c.) The character of the reading of each day's issue.

2d. In regard to the READERS, it should show: (a.) The number of books taken. out, with the dates of their issue and return. (b.) There should be a receipt for every book returned. (c.) The reader should have in his possession the means of knowing when his book is due.

3d. In regard to TIME, it should show : (a.) The number of volumes issued each day.

(b.) The books overdue, so that they can be sent for without delay.

Now, all these requirements are met in the most perfect manner and with the smallest possible outlay of time and labor, as follows:

Ist. A card or slip, containing the name of the work, and spaces for the date of issue and number of reader, is placed and remains in every volume until it is issued, or otherwise removed from its shelf. When a book is issued its card is stamped with the date, and the reader's number is written in pencil opposite. This is all the writing required by this system. The card is then filed, in the order of its shelf number, among the issues for that day.

2d. Each reader is provided with a card containing spaces for date of issue and return. This card remains in his possession and must be presented in order to obtain a book. When a book is returned the date is stamped on this card, opposite the date of issue. This is equivalent to a receipt from the library. The book-card is then taken from the datebox and replaced in its book, the date of return being first stamped on it.

As the cards for each day's issue are

kept in separate compartments, the books overdue show for themselves without any additional labor.

The combined elements of completeness, simplicity, and above all dispatch, embodied in this scheme, seem to me to make it peculiarly appropriate for libraries with a large constituency of readers, and a consequent heavy circulation; but I do not see why it could not be used in the smaller libraries with equal benefit, unless the necessity imposed on every reader of retaining possession of his card and presenting it at the library when a book is wanted or returned is considered as an insurmountable objection.

JACOB SCHWARTZ.

The plan described by Mr. Estabrook seems to me an excellent one. I venture to add some suggestions which my recent study of the subject leads me to think improvements. If not, the notes may be suggestive.

For reasons given in previous articles, a postal-card size card would be better than the 3×4 inch.

The book-card could easily have 100 blanks instead of 48, as one side is left entirely blank. Then each new card would show by its number how many 100 times the book had been issued.

The shelf-box, as I would call the bookcard box for books on the shelves, should be divided into 10 tiers of 10 apartments each. The book numbers being Arabic figures, it would be easier to find any given card.

Borrowers is too long a word; loancard would be better. Reader-card is sometimes used, but there may be a distinction between a reader-card (for reading-room use) and a borrower's-card. borrower's-card.

Loan-card is as clear a word as borrower's, and only one syllable instead of three. This loan-card should have 50 places, to get aliquot parts of 100, and there is plenty of room for them.

Instructions on the back are better than to use both sides like the book-card. Readers often wear the cards out by the time 50 places are filled, and they need something to remind them of the rules.

A hard pencil would answer, instead of ink. Protection against skillful fraud and forgery is less needed for cheap novels than in bank business. The trial is seldom made and is easily detected. But the stylografic pen, now so much used, removes the objection to ink, and all its advantages are retained.

Having selected a book may imply access to the shelves, which in most libraries is impracticable. But the reader can fill in the numbers of the books he wants, and the date-stamp against the one delivered will show plainly which is out. Those returned are indicated so plainly that no confusion can result. Without access to the shelves, books must be called for in writing. No one would attempt, except in the smallest libraries, to remember oral calls. If in writing, it would be easier to use the card than to fill in call-slips, which are not to be used in charging. The cards will fill up faster, but the reader will not lose lists of books made out with special care, a common fault of the slip system.

The punch I once started to use at Amherst, but gave it up because it took too long. It is very distinct, but does not tell the date of return, a fact that should be somewhere preserved. Another column, for returns and stamping in the date, would be an improvement.

As there is no other record in the library of the date when the book was drawn, it ought to be stamped on the book-card. The date-box shows this date, but in the constant reference to the box, cards may be displaced, and there is no means of correcting mistakes. It is often a matter of interest, in studying the reading of any book to know when it was

taken out. With a stamp, this fact takes only an instant of time and well repays the labor. When the book-card gets into the delinquent-box, the date must be added somewhere, and I should do it at the first, tho it is not essential.

In replacing filled cards, the second should be numbered 2, the next 3, etc., and the date given. In looking up the popularity of a book, it is necessary to know how many cards have been filled before, and at what date the book-card was started.

I should call the borrower's-card-box the loan-box. The name given misleads. It is the book-cards, not the borrower'scards that are kept in this box.

Pigeon holes for the over-due, lost, at the bindery, etc., book-cards are less convenient than to use the 15th tier of boxes for over-due and the 16th for all the other books off the shelves. A separate pigeon

hole for each class of absentees makes it too much work to hunt up a book. To put over-due books in with the others is bad, as books at the bindery do not want sending for as do the over-due. Even with this improved arrangement, we may have to look in 16 boxes to find a book off the shelves, a necessary defect of any check-box by dates, except the new one (described on p. 370, v. 3), which allows instant reference, and also tells all over-due books.

Referring to Mr. Schwartz's paper, I intended to express a high opinion of the Evansville scheme, when I said, v. 3, p. 286: "I think it, or a variation of it, could be made about the best possible system for many libraries." The Newburgh system given above is a slight variation, keeping the cards in a box at the desk instead of in the books.

A word on the standard laid down for a perfect system: I think it quite unnecessary

VOL. 5, No. 3.

for a charging system to show the character of the reading of each day's issue. This, as an accident of date systems, may be sometimes of use. It is vastly more important to study the character of the circulation for longer periods, and whenever, for special reasons, a single day is to be studied, it can easily be done by keeping the slips or cards of the day till its end, instead of distributing at once on issue. No safe deductions can be made from the character of a single day's issue. The average of many days must be taken, and it is too much labor to do it for each day and add together, when the same result can be attained so much easier.

On the other hand, a perfect system should tell not only the date of issue and return of each reader's book, but what those books were. This is certainly an important thing to be studied, and must be studied, if at all, by individuals. The Newburgh system shows the book and date of issue, but not of return. Mr. Schwartz shows both dates but gives no clue to the book. The former is much the best of the two, but all three should be given in a perfect system, and this requires writing the book number. The extreme of economy would give only date of issue on the loan-card (returns being crossed off) and only the reader's number on the book-card. This system would "work" with a minimum of labor, but would not give the results which Mr. Schwartz rightly insists on in a perfect system. Some one must write the book numbers in calling for the book. Readers can seldom be allowed to go to the shelves and select directly, while calling orally is out of the question. With the slip system, the slip already written is used, and even this one number has not to be written at the desk. The system is certainly good, but by no means so perfect as the above letter would imply. MELVIL DUI.

8

THE LIBRARY JOURNAL.

MARCH, 1880.

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PURSUANT to the instructions of the Boston Conference, we print elsewhere those library laws which the Association committee thought included features such as might wisely be adopted in other States. The present New Hampshire law, the type of the "short laws," is very much the same as the original law of 1849, almost the pioneer of public library legislation. The Illinois law, in which much of Mr. Poole's experience was utilized, has formed the basis for much of the library legislation in the

west.

The Wisconsin law is thought to be peculiarly effective for the necessary purpose of protecting libraries against human pests. A clause of the other Wisconsin law, incorporating the Milwaukee Public Library, is important, in placing the appointing power in the hands of the trustees, where it belongs, instead of leaving it along with the other party spoils to the Common Council. In another issue we may give Dr. Homes' draft of a law, which, in his judgment, combines the best features of these several laws, although it was not thought best to incorporate it in the committee's report. His list will be found practically useful in studying this subject.

THE movement in New York for free lending libraries has taken the definite shape of an incorporated association, of which the details are given elsewhere. Its incorporators number some of the best men in New York, and as the ladies are also interested in the movement, having started the library from which the association has grown, there ought to be no doubt of the success of this enterprise, which meets a real metropolitan need. Mr. Robert Hoe, Jr., who is the trustee of the Niblo bequest to the Y. M. C. A. library, is also one of the incorporators of this association, and we understand has taken into consideration the suggestion made in the JOURNAL of last month. There are difficulties in the way of any legal association of the two plans, because the Niblo bequest is given specifically to the Y. M. C. A.; but it is thought the desired result may be practically reached by making the Y. M. C. A. a circulating library, which now it is not, and permitting books to be drawn from it through the branches of the new association. We learn that for the present it is intended to apply only the interest of the Niblo bequest to the purchase of books.

WE can imagine how the hearts of the members of the L. A. U. K. leaped up for joy at the sight of the first sheets of the printed list of accessions to the British Museum, whatever bibliographical criticisms they may, or may not, call forth. This is an earnest of what is to come under the present enterprising management of the Museum, which will make its Library more than it has been before the Capitol of books for all the English-speaking peoples. Meanwhile, the national library of the United States is as fast going behindhand, despite Mr. Spofford's appeals. It is eight years since more room began to be needed, and the difficulty has been getting steadily worse. "They do these things better in France," for the appeal in behalf of the National Library in Paris has been at once responded to by the government, and the adjoining buildings, which threaten its loss by fire, will be removed.

MR. GREEN'S suggestions as to the use of the tabulated form for statistics, drawn up for the A. A., are timely. In this, as in other special work, a number of members spent much valuable time for the sake of obtaining certain useful results. If their recommendations are not made use of, the results cannot be had, and what is the use of such service as is rendered by the A. L. A.? There are two sides to coöperation : we must give as well as get, and if the recommendations of the Association are not adopted in practice and its useful enterprises supported, cui bono?